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Fighting Fantasy - The Introductory Role-playing Game
Fighting Fantasy — The introductory Role-Playing Game is a multi-player role-playing gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by Duncan Smith and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was not part of the main Fighting Fantasy Gamebook series, but rather one of the many spin-offs. As a role-playing gamebook, it is most closely associated with the book The Riddling Reaver in that it is an attempt to extend the Fighting Fantasy concept into a more developed role-playing system, in a basic form. As such, it is an unnumbered addition to the Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031709-0), often grouped with The Riddling Reaver in book listings. There are currently no announced plans to republish this book as part of the modern Wizard series. Creation Background ''Fighting Fantasy is essentially a step towards the already established role-playing universe as seen in games such as , moving readers gradually away from the single-player Fighting Fantasy gamebooks and towards the multi-player adventures of the other game systems. To this end the book uses the established systems of the books, but allows for more than one player and the ability to sidestep the prescribed two or three choices per reference of the gamebooks. Pages 22-29 illustrate just how the multi-player dynamic is meant to work with a short script of three players and a GamesMaster as they play the beginning of The Wishing Well. The book feature two mini-adventures as an introduction to multi-player gaming: *''The Wishing Well'' *''Shaggradd's Hives of Peril'' Rules The book in general follows the original rules set down in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. (see Game System) Unique Rules *Beyond the standard background material dealt with in a regular Fighting Fantasy gamebook, the book also provides instruction on dealing with the following concepts: Bribery, Carrying Equipment, Doors, Escaping, Falling, Loosing a Weapon, Movement, Opening Chests, Picking Pockets, Returning to Areas, Searching, Sight, Time, Tiptoeing and Moving Silently, Wandering Monsters, and Wasting Time. *Like The Warlock of Firetop Mountain the potion contains two doses. Equipment List *Sowrd *Backpack *Lantern *Provisions: 2 for The Wishing Well, 6 for Shaggradd's Hives of Peril *''Shaggradd's Hives of Peril'' only: Choice of one of three Potions (see Game System for generic fantasy setting choices) Cover and Illustrations Covers The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Duncan Smith. There was no edition with the Adventure Gamebooks banner. Unusually, the cover art was reversed when the book was reprinted with the Dragon Cover Format in 1987. #Price of 1st~2nd Impressions Illustrations The interior illustrations were by Duncan Smith. Unlike the regular gamebooks, due to the small number of references each paragraph receives an illustration to match. There were 58 full page illustrations and 5 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. There were also two black and white maps. Intertextual References Other Media Main Characters YOU: Hero of The Wishing Well *Barnabas the Beggar *Man of Many Years *Morphyr - Wizard *Muldoon - Leprechaun *Nandras - Wizard *Shaggradd - Black Elf *Thrushbeard - Dwarf Locations *Hives of Peril *''Pookie's Eating House'' *The Wishing Well Encounters *Apprentice Witch *Beggar *Calacorm *Cave Troll *Chestrap Beast *Cockatrice *Dragon *Evil Priest *Fire Demon *Giant *Giant Aardwolf *Giant Octopus *Giant Toad *Glantie - Dwarf *Goblins *Gorilla *Great Ape *Hellhound *Hobgoblins *Hungie - Dwarf *Hyena *Man of Many Years *Mermaid *Mummys *Nandibear *Pookie - Dwarf *Red-Haired Man *Rhinoceros *Ripper Sharks *Salamander *Serpent *Shaggradd *Skeletons - Human/Tiger *Spider-King *Thrushbeard *Tree Goose *Vampire *Weretiger *Werewolf *Yeti *Zombies Further Notes Dedication For John and Mandy See Also *Advanced Fighting Fantasy *''Appointment with F.E.A.R.'' *''Creature of Havoc'' *''Deathtrap on Legs'' (Mini-FF) *''Fighting Fantasy'' *''House of Hell'' *''Sorcery!'' *''Starship Traveller'' *''The Citadel of Chaos'' *''The Dreaming Sands'' (Mini-FF) *''The Riddling Reaver'' *''The Ring of Seven Terrors'' (Mini-FF) *''The Tower of Hades'' (Mini-FF) *''The Warlock of Firetop Mountain'' External Links *Character Sheet References Fighting Fantasy Category:Fighting Fantasy Series